Lil Tay, the controversial teenage influencer and rapper, has fans reeling with concern following her cryptic tweets. She recently celebrated her 17th birthday on July 29, 2024.
In a series of posts on X and Instagram, dated September 11, 2024, it was revealed that Tay, also known as Tay Tian, was suffering from a health crisis. The first tweet from her official Twitter account, @LilTaybepoppin, read:
"We have devastating news regarding tay."
The second tweet, posted three hours later, called on everyone to keep the influencer in their prayers. Tay's representative then clarified the situation further, revealing that she had been diagnosed with a heart tumor, accompanied by a clip of an X-ray, and promised to share more information as it became available.
Lil Tay has a heart tumor, representatives reveal
Around 9 p.m., it was revealed on X that Tay was in the ICU in "serious condition," along with an image of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. A few hours later, they posted a video of an X-ray showing a beating heart, presumably Tay's. The post stated she had been diagnosed with a "life-threatening heart tumor" and urged everyone to keep her in their thoughts and prayers.
The account also reposted a fan's tweet in defense of Lil Tay, which read:
"Can we PLEASE stop accusing lil tay of lying? you literally gain nothing from accusing her of lying and theres evidence supporting the fact that shes in the ICU... this was from her merch drop a few months ago, please stand with tay"
The tweet was a reference to Lil Tay's previous health scare from last year, one that claimed she was dead, which turned out to be a hoax carried out by her own father. The representatives commented on the allegations as well, stating:
"This community note is misleading, as something is indeed wrong with Tay. Last time, it was her absentee father who hacked into her accounts and faked her death. However, this time, she is in the ICU. She was diagnosed with a heart tumor. But we will keep you updated as we receive more information. Please continue to pray for Tay."
Lil Tay pronounced dead, turns out to be a hoax
Last August, rumors swirled online that the young influencer had passed away, following a since-deleted post on Instagram announcing:
"It is with a heavy heart what we share the devastating news of our beloved Claire’s sudden and tragic passing. We have no words to express the unbearable loss and indescribable pain. This outcome was entirely unexpected, and has left us all in shock."
The post also claimed that the influencer's brother, Jason Tian, had passed away, and at the time, the cause of death was "under investigation." However, Lil Tay's parents remained silent, and no records of the supposed deaths were found at the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner’s office.
The following day, TMZ broke the news that Tay was alive, and that her account had been hacked. In a statement to the outlet, she said:
"I want to make it clear that my brother and I are safe and alive, but I’m completely heartbroken, and struggling to even find the right words to say. It’s been a very traumatizing 24 hours. All day yesterday, I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and tearful phone calls from loved ones all while trying to sort out this mess."
Tay also claimed that the "misinformation" stemmed from a third party who wanted to "spread jarring misinformation and rumors" regarding her. She continued,
"My Instagram account was compromised by a 3rd party and used to spread jarring misinformation and rumors regarding me, to the point that even my name was wrong. My legal name is Tay Tian, not 'Claire Hope'."
The following month, in September, she announced that it was her own father, Christopher Hope, who fabricated the news. She alleged that he was working with another con artist, and the whole fiasco was part of a broader scheme to earn money. She dubbed the two "frauds."
Stay tuned to SoapCentral for more updates.
